Discussion 4

What do you think prompted so many Koreans into direct action against Japanese colonial rule? How much of it do you think was the language of the March 1, 1919, Declaration of Independence, and how much were other factors that Shin mentions? Answer this question by thinking about what might prompt you into action at some moments and not at others. Have you ever felt compelled to act in ways that surprised you?

One of the main aspects of Koreans’ ability to call direct action against colonial rule was an identity that plays deeply with their strong sense of nationality. The strong sense of identity, whether it is individual and collective, along with having like-minded goals typically is what many forms of protest often fight for. For the Koreans, their protest, the March 1st movement, was as mentioned where they sought independence from Japanese colonialism. While the movement did not succeed, it left the mark that further strengthens Korea’s sense of national identity.

Other factors that play into Korea’s call to action include ideology. Having like-minded ideas both unites and divides groups depending on the scenario. In the case of the March 1st movement, it gave the development of two ideological groups, nationalists and the socialites. The divided group was due to the failure to successfully attain independence, which shifted the perspectives of the people. Some believing immediate independence is immature and the process should be gradual, some wanted to achieve independence as soon as able. Either way, the goals of independence were the same in terms of the collective ideology.

In my experiences of “acting out” that surprises me, there is not a moment where I have done so that does surprise me at the least. It has always been a gradual realization that there are things I either do not agree with or I just “shrug” it off and move along. Basically, I have not acted out in the “March 1st Movement” type of way.